House flies shouldn’t be ignored as they carry so many different diseases which they leave on every surface they land upon, which is why pest control is crucial. They’re not fussy about whose home they go into, as they’ll fly in to find any food they can. This may be left over crumbs, your dinner uncovered pet food, or waste bins.
A single fly may not sound like a big deal, but when you think that they can lay approximately 100 eggs, five or six times a day, one solitary fly can turn into hundreds in a very short period of time.
The female fly will lay her eggs on anything moist that will feed her larvae when they hatch 12-24 later. These are what we refer to as maggots; those writhing whitish coloured creatures that make most of us squeamish and that fishermen love!
Identifying where the eggs are being laid is the first step once you have an infestation. The most likely places are uncovered pet food and food waste bins. However, these aren’t the only places. Food that has been dropped behind or down the sides of cupboards and cookers also make great breeding sites.
Watch where the flies are landing and set about giving the area a thorough cleaning. If you come across maggots get rid of them by sweeping them up and disposing of them outside, or put them in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Remember these wriggly maggots move surprisingly fast and can get into the very smallest of places, so make sure you get each and every one of them. Then disinfect the area rigorously.
You can bait adult flies using a number of pest control methods, including, fly strips, traps or pesticides (fly spray) or resort to swatting them. Whichever method you use, dispose of the dead fly and clean the area.
If you want to go down the more natural route there are various things you can do as a proactive way of getting rid of flies.
They don’t like the smell of vinegar, so you can boil vinegar in a saucepan, leave the window open and they’ll fly away, or should do. Don’t leave the saucepan unguarded as burnt vinegar smells awful and can linger a long time in your kitchen.
Make a fly trap using cider vinegar and a screw top jar. Half fill the jar with vinegar, punch a few small holes into the lid – large enough for the flies to get in but not out again.
Make your own fly strips using syrup. This method is messy, but the sticky surface will trap the flies – be warned wasps and bees will also be attracted to the sweet smell so be prepared for other pests to enter your home!
Use mesh screens at your windows to stop the flies from entering your home. You’ll also need one for your door as well.
Flies don’t like the smell of fresh mint, eucalyptus, cloves or lavender, so you could make your own potpourri sachets and hang these where the flies are coming in. If you can bear the smell they don’t like onions either!
Electric fly zappers are excellent and will save an awful lot of time and effort on your part.
If you do have an infestation that seems impossible to deal with or you’ve tried all manner of methods without success call in the pest professionals and let them rid you of your problem; you owe it to yourself and your family’s health and well-being.
Here at Safeguard Pest Control we would be happy to help rid you of flies once and for all. Simply get in touch!
